An hour afterwards, his brain dominated by the new idea, he danced his
way through the melancholy streets. Here, indeed, was salvation. Here he
could live the life of Truth. Here was the glorious chance—although he
would never see her on earth again—of justifying himself in Olivia’s
eyes. And in itself it was a marvellous adventure. There would be
endless days when he should live for the hour that he was alive, without
thought of an unconjecturable to-morrow. Into the cause of Poland he
would fling his soul. Yes, Boronowski was right. The sovereign remedy.
His individual life—what did it matter to him? All the beloved things
were past and gone. They lay already on the further side of the Valley
of the Shadow of Death. His personality was merged into a
self-annihilating creature that would henceforth be the embodiment of a
spiritual idea.
Thus for the rest of the day, and during the night, his mind worked.
Arrived in Poland, he would press for the fiercest section of the front.
The bullet that killed him would be welcome. He would die gloriously.
Olivia should know.
As John Briggs, with his papers in order, he found his passport a simple
matter. Boronowski, with whom he spent most of his time, obtained a
speedy visa at the Polish and other Consulates. During the period of
waiting he went carefully through the contents of the suit-case and
removed all traces of the name and initials of Alexis Triona. The little
black book he burned page by page with matches in the empty grate of his
room. When it was consumed, he felt himself rid of an evil thing. In
strange East London emporiums, unknown to dwellers in the West End, and
discovered by restless wandering, he purchased an elementary kit for the
campaign. Much of his time he spent in Boronowski’s quarters in Somers
Town, reading propaganda pamphlets and other literature dealing with
Polish actualities. When the Polish Army welcomed him with open arms,
they must find him thoroughly equipped. He bought a Polish grammar, and
compiled with Boronowski a phrase-book so as to be prepared with an
elementary knowledge of the language. The Pole marvelled at his fervour.
“You spring at things like an intellectual tiger,” said he, “and then
fasten on to them with the teeth of a bulldog.”
“I’m a quick worker when I concentrate,” said Triona.
And for many days he concentrated, sleeping and eating little, till his
cheeks grew gaunt and his eyes bright and haggard. In his interminable
talks with Boronowski, he concentrated all his faculties, until the
patriot would laugh and accuse him of a tigerish spring on the secrets
of his soul.
“It’s true,” cried Triona, “it’s the soul of Poland I want to make enter
my being. To serve you to any purpose I must see through Polish eyes and
feel with a Polish heart, and feel my veins thrill with the spirituality
of Poland.”
“Is that possible?”
“You shall see,” answered Triona.